Jessica K.

Jessica is a passionate Spanish teacher with a diverse range of experiences in both local and international settings. Her journey includes studying Spanish in college, residing in Madrid, Spain for four years, and contributing to the learning community through tutoring and teaching English abroad. At present, Jessica teaches Spanish at the middle school level, having embraced the opportunity to teach students from Spanish 1 to Heritage 3 honors in both middle and high school environments.

Jessica’s approach to language education is rooted in fostering genuine connections with her students. She strives to create a supportive and engaging learning environment, viewing her role not just as a teacher but as a mentor dedicated to understanding her students’ needs and facilitating their growth.

As a language enthusiast fluent in multiple languages, Jessica brings a global perspective to her teaching, influenced by her experiences abroad. Her lessons incorporate an appreciation for cultural diversity. Beyond the classroom, Jessica is recognized for her commitment to students’ success, with a history of tutoring that reflects her dedication. Her one-on-one sessions are tailored to each student’s unique needs, ensuring a personalized and effective learning experience.

In her spare time, she finds joy in reading, exercise, sports, travel, and spending time with her family. Jessica’s diverse and fulfilling lifestyle extends beyond the classroom, where she aims not only to teach Spanish but also to inspire a genuine appreciation for language and culture in every student she encounters.

David S.

David is a student at the University of Illinois Chicago majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. He went to Glenbard South High School in Glen Ellyn, and during his time there, he dedicated a great deal of time to the orchestra and math team. His other hobbies include volunteering and lifting weights at the gym, to name a couple. If you find out about any particular passions of David’s, be weary of mentioning them, as his mouth will not close for some time after. He is also bilingual in English and Russian, with native-speaker proficiency in both. David has taken advanced classes in math and physics including Mechanics, Electricity & Magnetism, Calculus 1-3, and Discrete Mathematics, among others, and has an understanding of all prerequisite topics for each. On the teaching side of things, he believes that intuition and deep understanding are the most effective ways of learning a given topic, not just memorizing the methods needed to solve homework problems. David is very patient and will ensure that a student fully understands the “why?” before moving on to the “what’s next?” without getting bogged down. He does not hand out answers like candy and will challenge a student to guide them to a solution on their own. Being a student himself, David is understanding and still sculpts his teaching methods to each individual.

Leslie S.

Leslie is a dedicated educator with a decade of teaching experience. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and an endorsement in Social Science from North Central College. Currently, Leslie serves as a 3rd grade teacher in Villa Park, where her enthusiasm for teaching shines through. She consistently strives to create an engaging and inclusive classroom environment, inspiring her students to excel academically and personally. Her experience has taught her the importance of small group and individualized education. Beyond the classroom, Leslie enjoys time spent with family and her dog, Roscoe, hiking the beautiful U.P., biking, and tennis.

Hala E.

Hello, I’m Hala! I have a bachelor’s in engineering and my master’s degree is in Mathematics. After working with students for the first time and feeling their success and happiness of grasping the material, I decided to go for my master’s degree so I can be part of that. I have been tutoring for 10 years, teaching in person, virtual, and online college students for 5 years. I became a mentor tutor, participating in training tutors to work with students, and it’s truly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I’ve helped so many students achieve their academic goals year after year and I know that YOU are more than capable of doing the same with the right help.
With my years of teaching experience in the classroom, I understand the student’s need for personalized guidance and instruction. I’m an experienced tutor, committed to helping each of my students reach their full potential. I’m interactive and supportive, using modern technology and visual aids to make the learning experience enjoyable.

Joe G.

Joe is a certified teacher with five years of high school classroom teaching experience in English, Civics & Government, Economics, Math, and Spanish. He graduated from Mizzou and jumped right into teaching/tutoring while pursuing grad school. Joe now holds master’s degrees in education and economics. He is a lover of sports, primarily soccer and tennis, the outdoors, and traveling. He is also trilingual in English, Spanish, and Albanian, which has made visiting nearly 20 countries a whole lot easier! As a tutor, Joe is passionate about helping students reach their full potential. Having coached youth sports, taught a myriad of subjects, and individually tutored students in after-school programs, he is patient, understanding, and has a knack for explaining complex concepts in a way that students can understand. One of Joe’s favorite things about tutoring is getting to know his students and helping them develop their own unique learning styles. He believes that everyone learns differently, and he tailors his teaching methods to each individual student. Finally, Joe is also a great motivator and big believer in humor as a learning tool to help students stay on track. So, why not see if this “Joe-of-all-trades” is the right fit for you?

Willa J.

Do you have a child or young adult in College with ADHD that has executive functioning weaknesses? ADHD children are often misunderstood due to their impulsivity or distractibility. Learn how to advocate and guide your child through these formative years, or allow me to directly support your child or young adult by learning their own unique strengths, interests, and what lights up their brains. From there we can develop strategies together to move forward in a positive way. As a mother of an ADHD child, I bring over 15 years of experience which I will apply as a coach modelling compassion and understanding while striving to advocate for those with this unique brain wiring. I am here to listen first without judgement and be supportive and empathetic.

Kayla H.

Meet Kayla Hicks, a Speech-Language Pathology graduate student. Kayla grew up in Oklahoma City where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Oklahoma State University. There she taught high school students from Phnom Penh, Cambodia formal grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation of spoken and written English. She also tutored college students in English, Essay writing, and Psychology. Kayla then moved to Illinois to work toward her Graduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Midwestern University where she is expected to graduate in May of 2023. Kayla has gained professional experience as a Speech Pathology graduate student who has facilitated evaluation and intervention in neurodegenerative disorders of communication (TBI/ABI, Parkinson’s Disease, Stroke, Cognition, Aphasia, etc.) and children with unique communication needs (Expressive/Receptive Language Disorder, AAC, Autism, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Articulation, Language, Social learning, etc.) Through speech and language intervention, she has been able to foster her love of teaching and support students and adults with unique needs across multiple subjects to meet their educational goals. She has been able to make her students feel more confident in the classroom and their personal life by supporting improvement in writing, reading, vocabulary, language, speech, and math.

Kayla’s experience has allowed her to be flexible and adaptable with all students. She offers a calm, yet welcoming demeanor, infectious joy, candor, and positivity. In her spare time, Kayla loves going on walks, playing games, laser tag, and dancing. Kayla also spends her time helping out at a local dance studio, where she gets to share her love of dance. You can catch Kayla with a big smile on her face, helping someone become their best self.

Alexis S.

Alexis holds a professional educators license in Illinois with concentrations in English and Social Studies. She grew up in Villa Park, IL and received my Undergraduate Degree at Lewis University. While at Lewis University, Alexis served as a writing tutor in our writing center and assisted undergraduate and graduate students in peer editing writing assignments. Alexis recently graduated in December of 2022!

Alexis has always had a love for children due to being the oldest of four younger brothers. Helping others brings so much joy to her so she is extremely happy to have found a career in doing that both in and out of the classroom . For the past 2 summers, Alexis has worked as the head of the summer camp at Life Time Oak Brook for children ages 4-13. It is a great way to spend the summer helping children grow and pick up healthy lifestyle habits. In her spare time, Alexis enjoy working out, listening to music, and baking! She is very excited to have the opportunity to help all children reach their full academic potential with Prep Academy Tutors!

Leah H.

Leah Haft is currently studying Secondary Education Mathematics, with a minor in K-12 Spanish Teaching at Elmhurst University. Her desire to become a teacher started at a young age. She has experience working with students in various settings, such as through nannying, life coaching a student with special needs, and in a classroom setting. She has been nannying for 2 and a half years, in which she has been able to sit-in on a couple of IEP meetings. Through participating in classrooms, Leah has been able to teach some lessons and help students with their math work. In her free time, she co-leads a Girl Scout troop of 12 girls and has had some leadership experience with the Honors Program at Elmhurst University.

Omar N.

Omar is currently a second-year medical student at Rush Medical College. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics and minor in biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has been tutoring one on one for more than 6 years now, and has experience with elementary through college aged students. Omar has tutored a variety of subjects, including math, economics, science, English, ACT subjects, and Arabic. He has also taught classes of 20+ as a Sunday School instructor for 4 years and is comfortable with all types of students and settings. Omar’s time tutoring and teaching have taught him that everyone has different learning styles, and teaching methods must be adjusted accordingly.